A Voice for the Voiceless

Anti-Syrian MP slain in Beirut blast

On May 13, Walid Eido, a Lebanese MP and long time anti-Syrian lawmaker, was killed in a blast outside a Beirut health club.  A remote car bomb was detonated as Eido’s convoy passed an empty car.  Eido’s eldest son and two bodyguards were also killed in the explosions, along with seven other civilians.  This is the sixth bombing in Beirut in the last month.  However, it differs from the previous blasts in both size and destruction.  While the five prior attacks seem to focus on causing fear, this bomb is estimated to weigh as much as 175 pounds and was intended to cause damage.

Eido was a member of the anti-Syrian majority party and ally of the former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, who was assassinated in March 2005.  Eido is the sixth anti-Syrian figure to be assassinated since 2005.  Others include al-Hariri, journalist Samir Kassir, George Hawi, Gebran Tueni, and Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel.  Eido’s death and the resignation of an anti-Syrian coalition member last week reduced the margin of majority to just three in the parliament.

After the assassination of Gemayel in November 2006, the anti-Syrian coalition government attempted to hold by-elections to fill his seat.  However, President Lahoud did not give the constitutionally required approval.  But on June 16, the cabinet announced that it will hold by-elections on August 5 to fill the seats once held by Eido and Gemayel.  Lahoud’s recent comments suggest that he will not approve the elections.  However, the governing coalition stated that it will “press on” with the election, even without presidential approval. 

Eido’s allies and members of the anti-Syrian coalition, especially those of the Lebanese Future movement, stated that Syria is behind these attacks.  Saad al-Hariri, the son of the late prime minister and leader of the Future bloc, accused Syria and Syrian supporters, like Hezbollah, of the attacks.  al-Hariri claims that Damascus and pro-Syrian lawmakers are hoping to reduce number of the anti-Syrian ministers in hopes of increasing the pro-Syrian influence over the upcoming parliamentary elections for president. 

Syria has condemned the attack and denied any involvement. 

For more information please see:

Washington Post:  “Political battle looms in Lebanon”  16 June 2007. 

Al Jazeera:  “Beirut by-elections for slain MPs”  16 June 2007. 

The Daily Star:  “Eido funeral turns into rally against Syrians, opposition”  15 June 2007. 

The Daily Star:  “Syria denounces Eido assassination, bristles at accusations of involvement”  15 June 2007. 

BBC:  “Anti-Syrian MP mourned in Lebanon”  14 June 2007. 

The Daily Star:  “March 14 MP Walid Eido assassinated in Beirut bombing”  14 June 2007. 

ME Times:  “Angry mourners blame Syria at Lebanon MP’s funeral”  14 June 2007. 

Washington Post:  “Anti-Syrian bury slain Lebanese MP, blame Damascus”  14 June 2007.

Al Jazeera:  “Beirut bomb kills Politician”  13 June 2007. 

Washington Post:  “Recent killings of top Lebanese figures”  13 June 2007.

Child labor allegedly used for 2008 Beijing Olympics official merchandise

A report by an advocacy group entitled “No medal for the Olympics on labour rights” claims four firms making official Olympic merchandise for the 2008 Beijing Olympics were exploiting workers.  Playfair, an alliance of world trade unions, found abuses at factories including child labor, forced overtime, and low wages.  Additionally, it is alleged workers are being instructed to lie about wages, poor health, and safety conditions to inspectors. 

Three of the four firms have denied these accusations.  Interviews with workers of the three firms support the firms’ denial of labor abuse.  The fourth, however, Lekit Stationery has admitted children 12 and 13 years of age were employed by one of its sub-contractors, Leter Stationery.  They say the children were employed during the school holidays last winter and did not work on official Olympic merchandise.  Lekit also insists it was not aware of its sub-contractor’s employment of children.

Lekit had originally denied these allegations, but the company only found out when Dongguan officials released the findings of an initial investigation into the issue.

The International Olympic Committee said it supports ethical practices.  Additionally, they say more stringent regulations must be made so the 2012 London Olympics will not be tarnished by similar accusations.  The speed of the Dongguan investigation shows, however, China’s desire to avoid bad publicity in the time before the 2008 Olympics.

For more information, please see:

–Olympic firms ‘abusing workers’

–Olympic firm admits child labour

–Chinese Olympic firms deny abuse

Land and People Misplaced in Ethiopia

By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch, Africa

Several weeks ago the UN Security Council received a letter from the Ethiopian government accepting the commission’s decision to award the town of Badme to Eritrea. The agreement arrives five years after Ethiopia initially promised to comply with the UN’s 2002 ruling.

Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after 30 years of guerilla war. For two and a half years the two countries fought over the town of Badme until they agreed to a truce to cease hostility in 2000.

Ethiopia’s letter to the UN Security Council required Eritrea to comply with the 2000 truce and if violated to be sanctioned by the commission. In response to Ethiopia’s conditional acceptance, Eritrea issued its own letter blaming the UN for failing to force Ethiopia to turn over the town.

The Security Council met with African Union and Ethiopian officials in Addis Ababa this past weekend to discuss border issues and possible resolutions.

The Security Council was greeted by thousands of Ethiopian Jews in Addis Ababa waiting to get to Israel. In 2005 Israel unofficially promised to relocate Ethiopian Jews who claim their families were forced to convert to Christianity in the 19th century, known as the Falashmura, by the end of 2007.

Under Israel’s “law of return” anyone who is Jewish or has a Jewish relative or spouse is granted automatic Israeli citizenship. However, Ethiopian Jews in Israel are claiming that the government is discriminately blocking their relatives’ immigration.

Instead, thousands of Ethiopian Jews, who have abandoned their home and livelihood, are living on little hillocks near the Israeli embassy in Addis Ababa, waiting in vain to get to the Promise Land.

For more information please see:

Yahoo – Ethiopian troops attacked in Somalia – 15 June 2007

Yahoo – Ethiopia agrees to give town to Eritrea – 15 June 2007

Yahoo – Ethiopian Jews in limbo, waiting to get to Promised Land – 14 June 2007

BBC – Country Profile: Eritrea – 09 March 2007

Chaldeans Targeted, Thousands have fled Iraq

        The Chaldean church has lived in fear since Iraq’s destabilization caused by Saddam Hussein’s removal from power.  The Chaldean church is a Christian sect, formerly known as Nestorians. They originated from Babylon, or modern day Iraq, and were recently united with the Catholic Church.  Reports show that over 1,000 Christian families have fled Baghdad, and more than 35,000 Christians have fled the country, with many fleeing to Syria. The Christians have been under attack since August 2004, when many Iraqi Christian churches were bombed.
        Christian missionaries have been the most targeted. The BBC reported a website about a Korean Christian worker who was executed because he was an “infidel pig.”  His crime was that he “studied Christian theology and was hoping to become a missionary in the Arab World.” Although the foreign missionaries may have been most targeted, the Iraqi Christian Church has also been attacked.
On June 3, 2007, Gunmen entered the Chaldean Church and demanded those inside to immediately convert to Islam. Father Ragheed Ganni and three of his deacons were killed in his church, because they refused to obey the gunmen.  On June 6, 2007, Father Hani and five of his male students were kidnapped. The six men were walking to a minor seminary in northern Baghdad. The next day four out of five of the boys were released by the kidnappers. The perpetrators seem to be common criminals. They sent a ransom note to Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly demanding money for setting free the captured priest and the remaining student.
        This is not the first occurrence of a priest being kidnapped. In October, the Pope remarked that some of teachings of Islam were “evil” and “inhuman” and that the religion spread by the sword. In response to the pope’s remarks about Islam being a violent religion, a Christian priest was kidnapped and ransomed for $350,000. He was later beheaded.
        The Chaldean church has been targeted and have suffered at the hands of their aggressors. Many have been forced to flee their homes to seek safety. The few who have remained live in fear of attack.

Al-Jazeera. Iraq priest ‘killed over speech’. 13 August 2006.
AsiaNewsit.com. Four Christians abducted yesterday are released. 7 June 2007.
AsiaNewsit.com. Chaldean Priest captured in Baghdad. 6 June 2007.
BBC News. Analysis:Iraq’s Christians under attack. 2 August 2004.
BosLifeNetwork. Iraq Priest remains kidnapped, as thousands flee. 15 June 2007.
New Advent. Chaldean Christians.

Working Out the Details on Darfur Peacekeeping Force

By Impunity Watch Africa

This week Sudan agreed to a hybrid AU-UN force of 19,000 troops, however details over control has continued to be an issue of debate.   Currently the plan is for the UN to have overall control of the mission with the AU having responsibility for the day-to-day responsibilities.  Similar agreements in the past have failed due to Khartoum’s opposition.  Both the US and UK have warned that if Sudan continues to resist peacekeepers, sanctions will be imposed.

UN Security Council envoys are due to hold talks with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on deployment soon.  Western diplomats are looking for an exact timetable for deployment of peacekeeping force.  A Sudanese diplomat stated that troops could be in Darfur by October, depending on the time it takes the two organizations to get troops and funds.

Meanwhile, British aid agency Oxfam has stated that they are leaving Darfur due to safety concerns for its workers.  Three aid agencies based in Geneva were attacked by a rebel group in December.  One aid worker was beaten, another was raped, and several were subjected to mock executions.  Oxfam has stated they are withdrawing due to a lack of prosecution for the crime and a lack of assurances that such an attack would not happen again.   Oxfam has been supplying water, sanitation and healthcare to 130,000 people in refugee camps outside Gereida town.

Violence in Darfur has killed more than 200,000 people and turned 2.5 million people into refugees.  Much of the violence has been the cause of clashes between government-sponsored Janjaweed militias and Darfur rebel groups.

For more information, please see:

BBC – UN Talks Darfur detail with Sudan – 18 June 2007

Kenya Broadcasting Corporation – UN, Sudan to discuss Darfur plan – 17 June 2007

Sudan Tribune – Hybrid peacekeeping force could be in Darfur by October – 13 June 2007